Glossary / Release for Free Circulation
Release for Free Circulation — explained
Release for free circulation is the customs procedure that forms the legal basis of import: goods arriving in the customs territory acquire the status of goods in free circulation in Türkiye once import duties have been paid and trade policy measures have been applied.
Under Articles 74-78 of Customs Law No. 4458, release for free circulation is the official name of the procedure commonly called "import" in everyday language: when goods are placed under this procedure, customs duty and any other financial charges are collected, trade policy measures (permits, control certificates) are applied, and the goods are thereafter treated in the same way as Turkish goods in free circulation.
Release for free circulation is the official term used in customs legislation; in everyday speech and commercial correspondence, the same process is usually referred to as "import" or "import clearance". Both describe the same process — one in the language of legislation, the other in commercial language.
Goods that have not been through this procedure remain under customs supervision and cannot be freely sold, used or processed. Once the procedure is completed, the goods acquire the same legal status as goods produced within Türkiye: the status of being in free circulation.
When You Encounter It
This procedure lies at the core of every import transaction: once registration of the declaration, payment of duty, and the examination process are complete, the goods have effectively been released for free circulation. From that point on, the goods are legally indistinguishable from Turkish goods that were never imported at all.
Some goods do not enter this procedure directly, but first pass through another procedure — a customs warehouse, the conditional relief system under inward processing, or temporary admission; in that case, the declaration is drawn up so as to also show which prior procedure the goods came from.
What It Doesn't Cover
- Release for free circulation means that the duty and permit obligations relating to the goods have been completed; it does not mean that the declaration will never be questioned again by the authority — the power of post-clearance control remains with the authority, and if the declaration is later found to be incorrect, an additional assessment may follow.
Often Confused With
| Comparison | Difference |
|---|---|
| Release for Free Circulation vs "Free Circulation" under the A.TR Movement Certificate | "Being in free circulation", as proved by the A.TR movement certificate, is a status of the goods under the Türkiye-EU Customs Union, and it mostly comes up in EXPORT. "Release for free circulation" on this page, by contrast, is the name of an IMPORT procedure into Türkiye. The two share the same wording, but one is an EU customs union status and the other is a national import procedure — they are not interchangeable. |
| Release for Free Circulation vs Inward Processing | Under inward processing, imported goods enter conditionally (without duty, or with duty later refunded) so that they can be processed and re-exported. Under release for free circulation, by contrast, the goods enter permanently for domestic use, with all duties and obligations completed. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is release for free circulation?+
It is the customs procedure under which goods arriving in the customs territory acquire the status of goods in free circulation in Türkiye once import duties have been paid and trade policy measures have been applied; it is known in everyday language as "import".
What does "goods in free circulation" mean?+
Goods in free circulation are goods either wholly obtained in Türkiye, or imported and released for free circulation with the necessary duties and obligations completed. Such goods are no longer under customs supervision and may be freely bought and sold.
What does "goods not in free circulation" mean?+
Goods not in free circulation are goods that have not yet been placed under this procedure — for example, goods held in a customs warehouse, in transit, or under the inward processing procedure. Such goods remain under customs supervision and cannot be freely disposed of.
Are release for free circulation and import the same thing?+
In everyday language, yes — they refer to the same process. "Import" is the term used commercially and in everyday usage; "release for free circulation" is the official procedure name used in the Customs Law. There is no difference in process between the two, only a difference in name.
Let's handle this for your file, together
Let us apply the process we describe on this page to your own shipment as part of our Import Customs Clearance service — request a quote or ask us directly on WhatsApp.
Where This Term Comes Up in Our Work
Release for Free Circulation is one of the documents we track in our import customs clearance service.
Import Customs ClearanceCustoms and tax procedures for your incoming shipments from abroad.The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
Source
Customs Law No. 4458, Articles 74-78 — Republic of Türkiye Presidency Legislation Information System — The provisions defining release for free circulation and setting out its conditions. Implementation detail is set out in the Customs Regulation, Articles 204-211.
Last updated: September 27, 2026